Guadeloupe Accras de Morue
| Ingredients 1/2 pound skinless boneless salt cod, cut into 2-inch pieces and rinsed 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup milk 1 large egg 3/4 teaspoon double-acting baking powder a rounded 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 2 garlic cloves, minced a 4-inch-long fresh hot red or green chili, seeded and minced (wear rubber gloves) 3 scallions, chopped fine 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander if desired vegetable oil for deep-frying sauce chien as an accompaniment (Caribbean Spicy Dipping Sauce) For the sauce chien: 1 small onion, minced 3 scallions, minced 1/3 cup minced red bell pepper 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 Scotch bonnet or habañero chili, seeded and minced (wear rubber gloves), or 1 teaspoon Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled 7/8 cup water 2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar 1/4 cup fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons vegetables oil 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander, or to taste, plus a coriander sprigs for garnish if desired |
Directions
In a large bowl
let the salt cod soak in enough cold water to cover it by 3 inches, changing the
water several times, for an least 8 hours or overnight. Drain the salt cod well
in a sieve and in a food processor purée it. Add the flour, the milk, the egg,
the baking powder, the allspice, and the garlic and blend the mixture well.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the chili, the scallions, and the
coriander. In a deep fryer or large deep skillet heat 1 1/2 inches of the oil to
360°F. on a deep-fat thermometer and in it fry teaspoons of the mixture in
batches, stirring and turning them occasionally, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until
they are golden and cooked through. Transfer the fritters as they are fried with
a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. The fritters may be made 2 days in
advance and kept covered and chilled. Reheat the fritters on a rack in a shallow
roasting pan in a preheated 450°F. oven for 5 minutes. Serve the fritters with
the sauce.
To make
the sauce chien:
In a heatproof bowl combine the
onion, the scallions, the bell pepper, the garlic, the chili, the salt, and the
thyme. In a small saucepan bring the water to a boil with the vinegar, pour the
vinegar mixture over the vegetable mixture, and let the mixture cool. Stir in
the lime juice and the oil. The sauce may be made 2 days in advance and kept
covered and chilled. Let the sauce come to room temperature, stir in the chopped
coriander, and garnish the sauce with the coriander sprigs. Makes about 2 cups.
Email me at tom@duryea.org